Flyers capture aging pilots’ memories on film

Trio hopes to turn Old Bold Pilots interviews into a history-themed television series

Retired Air Force pilot Don Mulligan, second from left, is being interviewed by Robert Broughton, left, with producer George Dawe, center, and filmmaker Patrick Pranica in Pranica's Carlsbad garage video studio for the series "Old Bold Pilots" on Friday. photo by Bill Wechter

Retired Air Force pilot Don Mulligan, second from left, is being interviewed by Robert Broughton, left, with producer George Dawe, center, and filmmaker Patrick Pranica in Pranica's Carlsbad garage video studio for the series "Old Bold Pilots" on Friday. photo by Bill Wechter

CARLSBAD  Three local hobbyists who met flying radio-controlled airplanes have dedicated the next couple years to a higher calling — capturing the stories of North County’s aging war pilots on film before they’re lost.

For the past month, Patrick Pranica, George Dawe and Robert Broughton have spent three days a week in Pranica’s Carlsbad garage, recording the memories of pilots who flew in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The interview subjects — many in their 80s and 90s — are members of the Old Bold Pilots, a group of veteran flyers who meet every Wednesday for breakfast in Oceanside.

Pranica, 64, a former television producer and lifetime aviation buff, read about the group in a magazine article four months ago and stopped by the Denny’s on South El Camino Real to meet the 50-70 men (and a few women) who show up each week. The experience was so profound, Pranica decided to come out of retirement to tell their stories.

“These were ordinary people who did extraordinary things,” said Pranica, an amateur pilot who spent the last eight years of his 45-year career producing films for Boeing. “In 1948, Orville Wright died and nobody (had) put a camera on him. We lost his memories forever. We must not make that mistake here. I’m finding this project more fulfilling than anything I’ve ever done in my career.”

Pranica is creating his "Old Bold Pilots" documentary — which he hopes to market as a television series some day — with two friends and fellow members of the Palomar Radio Control Flyers club. Pranica is the project’s director, editor and co-producer. George Dawe, a 51-year-old actor, attorney and pilot from Fallbrook, is co-producer and underwriter. And Old Bold Pilots member Robert Broughton, an 84-year-old retired Air Force pilot from Carlsbad, is serving as technical adviser.

From right, filmmaker Patrick Pranica with his crew, Robert Broughton, interviewer and tech advisor, and George Dawe, producer, who are working on the series Old Bold Pilots in Pranica's Carlsbad garage video studio. photo by Bill Wechter

From right, filmmaker Patrick Pranica with his crew, Robert Broughton, interviewer and tech advisor, and George Dawe, producer, who are working on the series Old Bold Pilots in Pranica's Carlsbad garage video studio. photo by Bill Wechter

So far, the trio have filmed the stories of five Old Bold Pilots and they have another 25 to 30 members signed up for interviews over the next couple of months.

On Friday morning, the filmmakers sat in rapt attention as Don Mulligan, an Oceanside resident who flew observation planes in Vietnam, recalled his experiences interrogating Russian missile scientists for the CIA. As he talked, Pranica and Dawe turned to each other with expressions of glee on their faces.

“We’re getting the most unbelievable stories. A lot of them are about survival and coping. They’re better than any fiction,” said Dawe, who has spent a small fortune on cameras, sound and lighting equipment for the project.

All of the subjects are filmed in front of a green screen that Pranica will later replace via digital effects with photographs, memorabilia, medals and other personal items the pilots bring with them to the interviews.

Filmmaker Patrick Pranica, left, runs a camera as Robert Broughton, interviewer and tech advisor prepares to interview retired Air Force pilot Don Mulligan, right, in Pranica's Carlsbad garage video studio Friday working on the series Old Bold Pilots. photo by Bill Wechter

Filmmaker Patrick Pranica, left, runs a camera as Robert Broughton, interviewer and tech advisor prepares to interview retired Air Force pilot Don Mulligan, right, in Pranica's Carlsbad garage video studio Friday working on the series Old Bold Pilots. photo by Bill Wechter

Mulligan, 81, said he was compelled to share his story on film at the urging of his daughter and grandchildren.

“I think my story is bland compared to some other members, but it means an awful lot to my family,” said Mulligan, who like all the rest will receive a free copy of their story on DVD in exchange for their time.